A Regional Scale 3-D Model of the Witbank Coalfield, Northern Karoo Basin, South Africa

Grodner, M; Cairncross, Bruce

doi:10.2113/106.4.249

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…2 Seam to vary from 3.0 MJ/kg to 24.7 MJ/kg, Ash from over 40% to around 22%, raw VM from 12-25% (with dry ash-free volatiles (DAFVOL) varying from 13.5% to 43%), and TS between lows of 0.5% and highs of over 10%. The reader interested in specific quality data for the western sector is referred to Goldschmidt et al (2010a, b), Hancox (2011) Grodner (2002) and Grodner and Cairncross (2003). The most characteristic feature of this sequence is its coarsening-upward nature, as noted by previous workers such as Cairncross and Cadle (1987).…”

Section: Geologymentioning

confidence: 84%

“…Grodner (2002) and Grodner and Cairncross (2003) established a regional, three-dimensional sedimentological model of the clastic strata of the Vryheid Formation and pre-existing basin floor topography of the western part of the Witbank Coalfield. As part of a MSc study, Schalenkamp (2006) reported on the financial viability, and the effective and responsible utilisation of reserves within the previously mined areas of the Witbank Coalfield.…”

Section: Research Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The details of these genetic models are reviewed in Grodner and Cairncross (2003) and are not repeated here. Cairncross (1986) adapted a straightforward approach to the stratigraphic analysis of the Vryheid Formation strata in the Witbank Coalfield, subdividing the entire column into three sequences which contain the five coal seams.…”

Section: Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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South Africa's coalfields — A 2014 perspective

Hancox

Götz

2014

International Journal of Coal Geology

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Highlights• South Africa's Coalfields are presented.• The role of Gondwanan coals as palaeoclimate archives is stated.• Future research fields include palynology, sequence stratigraphy, basin fill. AbstractFor well over a century and a half coal has played a vital role in South Africa's economy and currently bituminous coal is the primary energy source for domestic electricity generation, as well as being the feedstock for the production of a substantial percentage of the country's liquid fuels. It furthermore provides a considerable source of foreign revenue from exports.Based on geographic considerations, and variations in the sedimentation, origin, formation, distribution and quality of the coals, 19 coalfields are generally recognised in South Africa. This paper provides an updated review of their exploration and exploitation histories, general geology, and coal seam nomenclature and coal qualities. Within the various coalfields autocyclic variability is the norm rather than the exception, whereas allocyclic variability is much less so, and allows for the correlation of genetically related sequences. During the mid-Jurassic break up of Gondwana most of the coals bearing successions were intruded by dolerite. These intrusions are important as they may cause devolatilisation and burning of the coal, create structural disturbances and related seam correlation problems, and difficulties in mining operations.Whilst many of the coalfields have been extensively explored and exploited, those in the north of the country have until recently received much less attention. Four coalfields occur partly or wholly within the Limpopo Province of South Africa and these may contain as much as 70% of South Africa's remaining coal resources. These coalfields in particular have been the focus of recent exploration due to the presence of large coking and thermal coal resources, as well as for their coal bed methane potential, resources that need to be unlocked regards to maximum benefit and minimal environmental degradation. South Africa's coals have been also recently addressed as palaeoclimate archives recording Gondwana's postglacial climate amelioration by major changes in land plant communities, and proving high-resolution palyno-stratigraphy as a crucial tool to decipher climate change during the Permo-Carboniferous. This aspect of the coals of South Africa is also reviewed.

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Section: Geologymentioning

confidence: 84%

Section: Research Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

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South Africa's coalfields — A 2014 perspective

Hancox

Götz

2014

International Journal of Coal Geology

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“…The general geology of the Witbank Coalfield has been extensively studied by numerous previous authors (e.g. Le Blanc Smith and Eriksson, 1979;Le Blanc Smith 1980a, b;Cairncross, 1980;Winter, 1985;Cairncross, 1986;Cairncross and Cadle, 1988a, b;Holland et al, 1989;Grodner, 2002;Grodner and Cairncross, 2003;and Uys, 2007). The No.2 Seam accounts for approximately 70% of the coal resources in the Witbank Coalfield and contains some of the best quality coal.…”

Section: Witbank Coalfieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Coalfields of South-Central Africa: A Current Perspective

Hancox¹

2016

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Carboniferous through to the Miocene. Coal production in the north of the continent is however currently of a very limited nature compared to that in the south, where due mainly to its low cost and relative abundance, the commodity has long been the primary source of energy. Coal is also used extensively in the metallurgical (titanium, ferrochrome, ferromanganese and steel) industries. All of the main exploited coal deposits in South-Central Africa are hosted in sedimentary rocks of the Late Carboniferous to Middle Jurassic aged, Karoo Supergroup and their temporal equivalents. Apart from being the host to the regions' coals, the Karoo aged rocks also contain a world class palaeontological record. This work focusses on the coal deposits of the Karoo basins of South-Central Africa and in particular those countries that are currently producing coal (including

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A Regional Scale 3-D Model of the Witbank Coalfield, Northern Karoo Basin, South Africa

Cited by 2 publications

References 7 publications

South Africa's coalfields — A 2014 perspective

South Africa's coalfields — A 2014 perspective

The Coalfields of South-Central Africa: A Current Perspective

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